


not so bad

by sourcheeks



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Enemies to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:14:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sourcheeks/pseuds/sourcheeks
Summary: Daniel had always hated Miz, from the first day of kindergarten when he had been excited to show his teacher that he already knew his ABCs and how to count to ten, and Miz immediately had shown off that he also knew his ABCs and how to count to twenty. It was a trend that would continue through their entire school career.
Relationships: Daniel Bryan/The Miz
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	not so bad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thegoatz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegoatz/gifts).



Daniel had always hated Miz, from the first day of kindergarten when he had been excited to show his teacher that he already knew his ABCs and how to count to ten, and Miz immediately had shown off that he also knew his ABCs  _ and _ how to count to twenty. It was a trend that would continue through their entire school career. Daniel would do something, and Miz would immediately attempt to one up him. Daniel was certain the only reason that Miz had such good grades was part of his never-ending spite quest with Daniel. 

Daniel wouldn’t even mind the academics so much if it wasn’t for everything else. Anything Daniel did that Miz couldn’t or wouldn’t do, Miz pretended the reason he wasn’t doing it was because it was stupid. Daniel got the school to give the teachers recycling bins? That was stupid, half of them didn’t even use it anyways. Daniel was volunteering at the animal shelter? Miz didn’t have time, he was too busy with sports. Daniel was helping the teachers put together the science club Earth Day trip? Miz couldn’t decide why that one was stupid but it definitely was. He was so annoying. 

Daniel was lucky in some aspects. He was forced to share all of his AP classes with Miz, but most of the classes had alphabetical seating, putting ‘Bryan’ far away from ‘Mizanin’ and ‘Daniel’ far away from ‘Mike.’ Their APUSH teacher, however, had assigned seats at random, leaving Daniel stuck in the back next to a smug Miz. 

It was Miz’s favorite hobby to poke at Daniel until Daniel made a scene. Most classes he could grit his teeth and bear it, but the last few days his patience was wearing incredibly thin. 

“Shut the hell up, Mizanin!” Daniel had intended that to come out in a low hiss. It was… louder than he intended it to be. 

“Mister Bryan,” their teacher snapped. Daniel looked up at him guiltily. 

“Um… sorry, Mister Striker.”

Striker sighed and rubbed his nose. “Detention.”

“What?” Daniel protested. 

“You heard me! I’m sick of you always pestering Mizanin back there, do I have to separate you two?”

Daniel would love nothing more. “That isn’t fair, he’s provoking me!”

“Then both of you can have detention.” Striker gave them a serious look. “Now  _ please _ stop interrupting my class!”

Miz had the absolute  _ audacity _ to glare at Daniel the rest of the class period like it was all  _ his _ fault. What a dick. Daniel fumed, breaking the lead of his pencil a few times from how hard he was pressing down taking his notes. 

He’d never had detention before. His parents were going to kill him. Daniel sat in the back of the classroom, taking his homework out and starting to work dutifully. Miz came in with a sour look, glaring at Daniel before tossing his bag down hard onto the floor and sitting at a desk. 

Daniel ignored him, focusing on his work. He didn’t care about Miz. He didn’t care about Miz. He  _ didn’t  _ care about Miz.

Daniel’s pencil snapped loudly in half. 

Heads turned to look at him. Daniel put the pencil down sheepishly, getting his book out of his bag. Miz was hiding a laugh. Daniel had half a mind to kick that stupid smile on his face, but he tried instead to just calm down and focus on his novel. 

Miz approached him after detention, which made all the hairs on the back of Daniel’s neck stand on end. He glared, shoving his things into his bag. “What do you want?”

Miz held his hands up in surrender. “Chill out, man. Uh, I know you normally walk to school, but it’s raining now, so…”

Daniel glanced at the window. It had started raining, and pretty hard, since detention started. Another issue he wouldn’t have had to deal with if it wasn’t for Mizanin. 

“I guess I’ll have to wait for the rain to clear up.” This sucked. 

Miz sighed, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I… can…” He made a face. “Give you a ride home. I guess.”

It might rain for a while. And Daniel really didn't want to wait here any longer than he had to. "Fine. I guess."

When he climbed into the passenger side of Miz's car, Daniel was reminded of another reason he had never liked the guy. The car was nice, nicer than Daniel would ever have. Miz was rich and it oozed from his every pore. Even his casual clothes were some expensive designer crap. Daniel made himself as small as possible in the seat, not wanting to mess up anything he was too broke to replace. He laid his forehead against the window, staring out silently. 

"So, uh, where do you live?"

"Just a couple blocks east…" Daniel made a face, staring out at the heavy downpour. "But the road is probably flooded." 

"You could come to my place." 

Daniel shot him a look. Why was he being so weird? "Uh… we could take the long way."

Miz sighed, taking one hand off the wheel to rub at his jaw. "Look. Dan."

"Daniel," he corrected firmly. He hated being called Dan. 

"Daniel," Miz ceded. "I know you hate me. I mean - I'm not exactly your biggest fan either. But like… we're 18 now, dude. None of this school bullshit is going to matter anymore in a couple months. Especially if we go to different colleges." 

Daniel was going to community college. He was almost certain that Miz was not. "Sure. I guess so." He plucked at the sleeve of his hoodie, which was starting to fray. "So, what, you wanna have some big poetic makeup scene like a bad coming of age movie?"

Miz rolled his eyes. "I'm just asking you to come over, okay? You can stay for dinner. I looked up some vegan recipes last night."

Daniel was surprised Miz even knew how to cook. "Fine. But I'm not staying the night or anything."

* * *

Miz's house was predictably fancy. It wasn't a mansion or anything, but it was a two story house with a big yard. The sidewalk out front was intact and everything. Daniel had to stand uncomfortably close to Miz as they walked up to the porch under the same umbrella. 

"My room is upstairs," Miz said, shuffling awkwardly in place in the entrance hall. Good. At least he was as uncomfortable as Daniel. "If you wanted to, we could… I dunno. Hang out. Watch a movie or something."

"Sounds fine to me." Daniel shrugged. He didn't even really want to be here. 

Miz's room was… not what Daniel had been expecting. It was cozy, a small room with a twin bed and posters all over the wall. Mostly for movies or reality shows. Daniel recognized a few wrestlers. “Cool room.” Daniel smiled a little. 

“Oh, uh, thank you.” Miz smiled back, sitting on the bed and pulling his laptop out of his bag. He patted the covers next to him. 

Daniel sat, drawing his cardigan closer around himself and careful to leave several inches between him and Miz. 

“Do you like horror movies?”

Daniel hated horror movies. “I do.”

The movie wasn’t that bad, but there was more gore than Daniel cared for. He hid behind his hands at parts, which made Miz snicker. 

“Shut up,” Daniel groused. 

“Come on, I thought you liked horror movies.”

Daniel blushed and looked away, crossing his arms. “Well - I didn’t want you to think I was a baby.”

“No, it’s cute.” Miz stopped the movie, closing his laptop. “We don’t have to watch it.”

“Thanks.” Daniel fidgeted with the hems of his cardigan sleeves. “You know, you aren’t so bad.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you.” Miz bumped their shoulders together. “You hungry?”

* * *

Daniel sat and watched while Miz cooked, surprised at how comfortable he seemed in the kitchen. He had expected a spoiled rich brat like Miz to have someone to do that for him. “You know, I’m surprised you actually know how to cook.”

“Of course I do. I’m home alone a lot, so…” Miz shrugged. “I learned to fend for myself.”

“I’m sorry.” Daniel felt awkward now. Not that he hadn’t felt awkward since the second he’d gotten into Miz’s car. 

“Don’t worry about it.” Miz set a plate of noodles in front of Daniel. “Bon appetit.”

“Cheers.” Daniel held up his cup, and they clicked their plastic glasses of soda together. 

The food was good, some vegan alfredo recipe the Miz had apparently been practicing. Daniel wondered how long he’d been planning this. The thought made him feel weirdly warm and fuzzy. He banished the thought and the way it made his stomach flutter. 

“Hey, you know…” Miz stared down at his plate, pushing his noodles around with his fork. “You could stay the night.”

“I could.” Daniel gave him a look. “You’re really serious about this friend thing, huh?”

“I really am.” 

“Fine. But I reserve the right to leave at any time.” Daniel stood, rinsing his plate in the sink. 

“Yeah, of course.” Miz broke into a grin. “Thanks.”

* * *

Daniel laid on the floor of Miz’s room in a sleeping bag, staring up at his glow in the dark stars. “Hey. Are you awake?” he whispered. 

“Yeah,” Miz whispered back. “Hey, Daniel?”

“What?”

“I’m glad you came over.”

“So am I.” Daniel surprised himself by meaning it. 

He heard shifting on the bed, and then Miz was next to him, lying on the floor. “This cool?”

“What are you doing?” Daniel laughed, rolling onto his side. The room was dark, but he could just make out Miz lying beside him. 

“You have to promise not to freak out.”

“Freak out about what?”

“Promise.”

“I promise.”

Daniel felt a warm hand on his cheek. Then he felt lips against his own. He made a soft, surprised noise, but he didn’t pull away. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” Miz laughed, high and embarrassed. 

“How long?” Daniel touched his lips. It had been a short, chaste kiss, but it sent him reeling. 

“Ninth grade.”

“Wow.” Jesus. Daniel couldn’t really wrap his mind around that. But Jesus. “I’m, uh. I’m flattered.”

“I’m sorry. I messed everything up.”

“No, no!” Daniel grabbed his hands. “You can do it again, if you want.”

They did it again. Now that he was expecting it, Daniel had a chance to enjoy it. Miz wasn’t a bad kisser. They stayed like that for a while, and when Daniel fell asleep he did it mext to Miz, holding his hand. 


End file.
